Machines may be used to dig into a work material such as earth or rock and move loosened work material from one place to another at a worksite. Such machines typically include a chassis housing a power source and one or more mechanical linkages for controlling movement and operation of implements for performing tasks such as excavating and transferring the work material. The linkages may be capable of raising and lowering the implements, and rotating the implements to engage the work material in a desired manner. For example, in the earth moving applications, the implements of the machine may include a bucket having an edge for penetrating into the surface of the work material and excavating it.
To facilitate the earth moving process and prolong the useful life of the implement, a plurality of tooth assemblies may be spaced along and attached to the base edge of the implement. The tooth assemblies project forward from the base edge and act as a first point of contact to penetrate the work material, which may reduce the amount of wear of the base edge of the implement. In this manner, the implement may remain usable through multiple cycles of replacement tooth assemblies. However, it may be desirable to replace the tooth assemblies because they are subjected to wear and are sometimes damaged by repetitive engagement with the work material. Depending on the uses of the implement and/or the characteristics of the work material, it may also be desirable to change the tooth assemblies to provide tooth assemblies having a shape or other characteristic consistent with the desired use and/or work material to effectively use the implement.
During use of ground engaging implements, and depending on the use, the bottom portion of a tooth assembly may be subjected to relatively more abrasion than other portions of the ground engaging tooth assembly. For example, as the ground engaging implement is pulled in a reverse direction through a work material, the material wears against the bottom surface of the tooth assembly. In addition, when the ground engaging implement dragged while against the ground or other surface, the wear on the bottom surface of the tooth assembly may be greater than for other portions of the tooth assembly.
As a result, it may be desirable to provide a ground engaging tooth assembly that is relatively more abrasion-resistant when being pulled backwards through a work material. In addition, it may be desirable to provide a ground engaging tooth assembly that is relatively more wear resistant when dragged backwards against a surface. It may also be desirable to provide a ground engaging tip that substantially maintains its sharpness as it wears from use.
An example of an implement tooth assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,943,717 B2 to Renski et al. (“the '717 patent”). In particular, the '717 patent discloses a ground engaging tip of a tooth assembly for a base edge of a ground engaging implement. The tooth assembly of the '717 patent includes an adapter configured for attachment to a base edge of the ground engaging implement and having a forwardly extending adapter nose. The ground engaging tip may have a configuration for providing additional wear material for use in earth moving applications.
Although the tooth assembly disclosed in the '717 patent provides additional wear material, it may not provide desired abrasion-resistance when being pulled backwards through a work material. In addition, it may not provide the desired wear resistance on the bottom surface of the ground engaging tip, for example, when the implement is dragged backwards. The ground engaging tooth assemblies disclosed herein may be directed to mitigating or overcoming one or more of these possible drawbacks.